The Campaign for Safe Cosmetics is a coalition of public health, educational, faith, labor, women’s, environmental and consumer groups. Our goal is to protect the health of consumers and workers by requiring the health and beauty industry to phase out the use of chemicals linked to cancer, birth defects and other health problems and replace them with safer alternatives.
The Safe Cosmetics Campaign began in 2002 with the release of a report, “Not Too Pretty: Phthalates, Beauty Products and the FDA.” For the report, environmental and public health groups contracted with a laboratory to test 72 name-brand, off-the-shelf beauty products for the presence of phthalates, a family of industrial chemicals linked to permanent birth defects in the male reproductive system.
The lab found phthalates in nearly three quarters of the products tested, though the chemicals were not listed on any of the labels. A second report, “Pretty Nasty,” documented similar product test results in Europe.
In February 2003, the European Union passed a new ammendment to their Cosmetics Directive that prohibits the use of known or suspected carcinogens, mutagens and reproductive toxins (a.k.a. CMRs) from cosmetics. This ammendment went into force in September 2004.
We are asking cosmetics and personal care products companies to sign the Compact for Safe Cosmetics (Compact for the Global Production of Safer Health and Beauty Products), a pledge to remove toxic chemicals and replace them with safer alternatives in every market they serve.
Founding groups of the campaign include: Alliance for a Healthy Tomorrow, The Breast Cancer Fund, Commonweal, Environmental Working Group, Friends of the Earth, National Black Environmental Justice Network, National Environmental Trust, and Women’s Voices for the Earth. In spring 2004, these groups and more than 50 other organizations signed a letter asking cosmetics companies to take our pledge, the Compact for Safe Cosmetics.
Together we are working for safer products and smarter laws that protect our health and our families from toxic chemicals.
If your organization would like to support our efforts, please click here to endorse this campaign!
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IT SEEMS THEY HAVE TOO MUCH TIME ON THEIR HANDS!!! They should stop sticking their freaky little noses in everyone's business!
In the News:
Midgen bill would require cosmetic chemical disclosure
Bay City News Wire, KPIX TV-5, CBS, 4/05
Untested Cosmetics May Soon Carry Warning Labels
The Miami Herald, 3/05
Cosmetic Industry On Notice: FDA Issues Warning on Untested Products
3/05
The Ugly Side of Pretty
DragonFly Media, 2/05
L'Oreal, Revlon bow to Bay Area pressure: Chemicals suspected of causing cancer won't be in products
San Francisco Chronicle, 1/05
Cosmetics Companies Shun Contentious Chemical
Wall Street Journal, 1/05
FDA Phthalate Study Finds Highest Levels Of Substance In Nail Polish
The Rose Sheet, 1/05
Top companies offer safer cosmetics
Rocky Mountain News, 1/05
The Ugly Side of Beauty Products
Environmental Health Perspectives, 1/05
A Makeover for the Cosmetics Industry
The Nation, 12/04
The Downstream Dangers of Your Perfume Christian Science Monitor, 12/04
Labeling Loophole Leaves Toxic Chemicals Unlisted
NBC San Jose, 8/04
More Than Cosmetic
Los Angeles Times, 8/04
Look good, get cancer?
San Jose Mercury News, 8/04
Household Toxic Chemicals Not Adequately Regulated
KPBS San Diego, 7/04
Toxins getting closer scrutiny
Oakland Tribune, 6/04
Time to stop glossing over ugly risks of beauty products
The Sacramento Bee, 7/04
Purely Cosmetic? A New Report
The Washington Post, 6/04
Cosmetics may contain hazardous ingredients
Baltimore Sun, 6/04
Carcinogens at the cosmetics counter
San Jose Mercury News, 6/04
Making sure safety product is safe
Seattle Post-Intelligencer, 6/04
Filling the product-test gap
Denver Rocky Mountain News, 6/04
Site tells what's in products
Cleveland Plain Dealer, 6/04
Grooming products' contents untested
San Francisco Chronicle, 6/04
Toiletries Could Contain Toxins
Contra Costa Times, 6/04
Dirty little beauty secrets
Missoula Independent, 6/04
Beauty Beat: Study Questions Cosmetics Safety
New York, 6/04
Amid Health Concern, Nail-Polish Makers Switch Formulas
Wall Street Journal, 4/04
Activists push for safer ingredients in make up
Women's ENews, 4/04
Questions about some cosmetics
Los Angeles Times, 5/04
Legislators ponder: What price beauty?
Sacramento Bee, 4/04
Could polishing your nails be dangerous?
KTVU News, 4/04
EU bans toxins from cosmetics
Chemical Regulation Reporter, 12/02
Women shun products with chemical linked to birth defects
Boston Globe, 10/02
Common chemical damages sperm
BBC, 12/02
Thanks for all the info. While the alarmists are hard at work, it does seem that these chemicals should be tested extensively and not used unless labeled.